After breakfast, Haruki led the women slowly toward the living room...
As they stepped inside, the first thing they saw was a towering, muscular man. He looked to be around forty, with short, spiky golden hair. Unlike the obese Prime Minister, though both held high-ranking positions in the Empire, this man's body was solid with muscle, his back straight, and his presence radiated a fierce intensity. It was obvious he trained diligently every day.
He wore a heavy suit of silver armor, and on each arm were two strange, short rods with a metallic sheen—his Teigu, Thunder God's Rage: Adramelech.
Thunder God's Rage: Adramelech is a gauntlet-type Teigu that grants control over thunder and lightning, allowing the user to summon thunderclouds to strike enemies. It boasts a versatile arsenal of offensive abilities. Its large-scale technique, "Advent of Thunder Emperor," can unleash lightning to strike enemies across a wide area, making it nearly impossible for targets within range to escape.
For close-range combat, it can fire a cluster-type laser that's not only scorching hot but also highly penetrative. With enough mastery, the user can even manipulate the surrounding electromagnetic field to levitate.
Now, the man sat upright, his expression stern, showing no hint of casualness despite the absence of his host. It was clear he was a disciplined individual.
This was none other than the Empire's Great General, Budo.
Within the Empire, if the Prime Minister was the highest-ranking civil official, then the Great General stood as the supreme military commander, holding authority over all the Empire's forces.
That the Emperor entrusted him with the entire army spoke volumes of his trust in Budo.
And time had proven the previous Emperor's judgment sound. Though Budo commanded the military, he had never involved himself in politics beyond his duties, dedicating himself wholly to serving the Empire.
Many believed Great General Budo to be foolish—despite leading the entire Imperial army and holding immense political leverage, he never used it to seek personal gain or elevate his family. To them, he was just a brute.
But in Haruki's eyes, Budo's family was the wisest of them all. For generations, the head of the Budo family had served as the Empire's Supreme Commander. Their family's ancestral rule forbade military leaders from engaging in politics. Because of this, even as political tides shifted and powerful "wise men" and their families vanished into the dust of history, the Budo family endured, standing strong through the chaos of officialdom.
As Haruki and the others were studying Budo, the general was also observing him.
But what surprised Haruki was the first thing Budo said.
"May I ask—are you the Imperial Advisor?"
"Oh? How did you know? As far as I'm aware, there shouldn't be many people left in this world who know my true identity."
Upon hearing Haruki's indirect confirmation, Budo grew even more respectful. He clasped his hands and gave a formal bow, then explained:
"Imperial Advisor, perhaps you're unaware—my ancestors once followed you in your campaign to unify the land a thousand years ago. After the Empire was founded, they continued to serve as Great Generals, right up to my generation. In fact, aside from the royal family, ours is the only bloodline that has endured since the founding. Our family records contain some mentions of you, and by chance, I read them when I was a child.
As it happened, yesterday, after you executed the Minister of Security and his family, I arrived at the scene and saw the golden weapons slowly vanishing. I had a vague sense of familiarity. Later, I consulted the records at home and confirmed that those weapons had only ever been wielded by the Imperial Advisor since the founding of the Empire."
"And most importantly, your appearance is identical to the figure in the portrait preserved by my family."
(Note: Haruki does not need to manually retrieve the treasures fired from the Gate of Babylon—they automatically vanish and return to his treasury after a set time.)
"But that still doesn't prove I'm the Imperial Advisor! What if I just happened to get my hands on his weapons? And as for appearance, isn't it possible that a few people might look alike over the course of a thousand years?"
Haruki asked with amusement.
"Maybe those other things could be faked, but your power can't be. Ever since you walked in, my Teigu has been trembling nonstop. I doubt anyone but the Imperial Advisor could make a Teigu feel fear."
Budo had a point. As widely known, Teigu were crafted using Super-Class Danger Beasts. Some of these could be taken down by sheer numbers, but others were so overwhelmingly powerful that numbers alone were useless. Among the forty-eight Teigu, a few were especially potent—each one made from Super-Class Danger Beasts personally slain by Haruki.
Take, for example, the original protagonist's Teigu, Demon Armor: Incursio. It was forged from the body of the dragon-type Danger Beast, Tyrant.
Tyrant was a highly adaptable, ever-evolving beast of tremendous strength. The one Haruki killed to create the Teigu was almost on par with the legendary Ice Phoenix from ages past.
Budo's Thunder God's Rage: Adramelech was no exception. It was made from a Super-Class Danger Beast that lived among thunderclouds.
Teigu retained a faint level of consciousness—enough to choose their wielders. And Danger Beasts were far more perceptive than humans. Especially the powerful ones. Even after a thousand years, just sensing Haruki's aura was enough to make the remnants of their consciousness tremble with fear.
"You're right. I am the Imperial Advisor. But aren't you at all curious how I'm still alive?"
Seeing how composed Budo remained, Haruki asked.
"The stronger someone is, the longer they live. It's said that the Imperial Advisor once fought the strongest Super-Class Danger Beasts barehanded. Even ordinary Super-Class Danger Beasts can live for thousands of years—so it's not surprising that you've survived."
Budo answered earnestly. His reasoning was, in fact, the most logical explanation for Haruki's apparent immortality.
"Oh? Then why are you here today? Don't tell me you came to arrest me for yesterday's incident."
Haruki asked casually.
"I wouldn't dare. I simply have some questions for you. As one of this empire's two founders, why have you allowed the Prime Minister and his faction to run wild in court, slaughtering loyal officials?"
Budo spoke through gritted teeth—his hatred for the Prime Minister's faction clearly ran deep.
"There's no such thing as something eternal. The Empire is no exception. It's existed for a thousand years, but it's rotted from within. Even if I stepped in, what would that accomplish? I could eliminate a few ministers, but more would take their place. What the Empire needs now is complete change. History will take care of it—I won't interfere. Of course, you can act as you see fit. Go now. Don't come looking for me again. And don't speak of me to anyone."
After saying this, Haruki glanced at the women gathered around him and added,
"I have my own life now, and I'm very happy."
"Understood. I'll take my leave."
Since Haruki had already dismissed him, Budo dared not stay any longer and left with a heavy heart.
...
(40 Chapters Ahead)
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